University of South Carolina Libraries
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2S, 1S49 THE NEWBERRY SUN ...and TO YOU!! Quality Bakery 1400 Main St. Phone 958 StaMMlMlftMMMaiaMM RMlMlMt* HERE IT IS THE BIGGEST, FINEST, MOST JOYFUL CHRISTMAS EVER, to YOU mnd YOURS . i WVa&mgMlKm*..-.•s.SiSS mam 1 | | i HI Dennis Shoe Shop A, ilWr^- CtrU||nd' 'V /ss\ ‘ ^ wwm Maxwell Bros. & Lindsay FURNITURE ^Jime Wot Constant *9n th» (2eieLrationi Of CkrUt’* Wativit t While December 1« now the month In which Christ's birthday Is cele brated by Christians all over the world, research and study show that Christ’s nativity has been cele brated In January, March, April, May, September and October by various peoples. And although (ew people know it. It was for the purpose of substitut ing a Christian festival for pagan ones of Romans and Druids that celebrations of Christmas in Decem ber were popularized. Ne historian pretends to fix the actual date of Christ’s birth or tho date at which Christmas became a general festival. About all that la known is that during the fourth century the feast of the Nativity was observed in all western world churches at differ ent dates. The confusion resulting from cele brations in seven months of the year caused the western church authorities to meet In 340 to set a definite date for the celebration. The eastern churches did not co operate until the sixth century when December 25 was set as the day to be observed. The question has arisen in numerable times as to why December was selected as the month for rejoicing. The answer ' is that this month was chosen In order that a Christian fes tival could compete with those of the pagans, because Decem ber was noted for its feasts and holidays in nearly every civilised land. Greeks, Romans, Saxons and Scandinavians all took part In the celebration of these festivals which had originated before the birth of Christ. From the Saxons came the cere mony of burning the Yule log. Tho Saxons burned great bonfires in honor of their god Thor. From the Romans came the giving of pres ents, for this custom has been traced to the Roman Saturnalia. It may seem strange to claim that the pagan riotousness might be the forebear of the Christian holiday of goodness and love, but inter mingled with that which was objec tionable, were things that have gone straight to the hearts of peo ple throughout the Christian world. It’s difficult to understand, but Ihe genial spirit of Christmas. Santa Claus himself, hasn't always bad it easy. There have been oc casions when laws or traditions or regulations have put certain curbs en the old gentleman. Here are some examples: In Newark, N. J., Santa Is re quired to pass a stiff physical ex amination before he can serve in a department store And even then he is barred from kissi’ ; any ot the children who perch upon hi: knee. In Charleston. S C.. charity San tas have been forbidden to makt a pitch on public streets on th. grounds that children flocking in t see them may create a traffn L£ t l And, moy wq odd, our sincere thanks for the splendid patronage which you hove given us during the year just closing. We invite your continued consideration. Newberry Recapping Co. K^^wwennwxwmeie^twtetewwiefnieixutuniiiwwinnienigenieieu hazard. And In Washington a few years ago, when the postmaster general was asked to print a Santa Claus stamp at Christmas time he rejected the proposal with s scorn ful, “I should say not!” Outside the U.S.A., Santa has had trouble, too. In Montreal, Can ada, an Influential organization fought against holding of the city’s annual Santa Claus parade on the ground that It was “merely a dis play of grotesque and vulgar buf foonery.” A prominent journalist in Rio de Janeiro fostered a move ment to do away with Santa Claus (Papa Noel) in Brazil and substi tute a toy-bearing grandfather Indian. In Mexico City the minister of education recommended that the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl. instead of St. Nick, should bring gifts to chH- dren. In the field of opinion, Santa has encountered some detractors. A Prof. Ivan E. McDougle, sociologist at Goucher college, Baltimore, de clared: “The Santa Claus myth has lived too long. Parents should sub stitute philosophy’’—whatever that is. A Toronto psychiatrist got in his blast. “It should be made clear te children,” he said, “that Santa Claus is not necessarily a real man any mors than-any other character out of a story book.” Christmas of 1804 Was Chicago's Best Surely there will never be an other Christmas celebration like the one in Chicago in 1804. Captain John Whistler (grand father of the painter who painted the famous “Whistler's Mother’’) was in command of the garrison at Fort Dearborn and he decided that there should be a great feast —com plete with music, dancing and a splendid Christmas tree. Soldiers from the garrison went a-hunting in the woods just north of the river and came back with a fat buck deer, some rabbits, a rac coon or two, a few wild turkeys. Added to the roasting pig (con tributed by some festive-minded citizen) and the magnificent Christmas pudding, these morsels provided abundance for all. Every body —the civilians and the mili tary— drank a toast to Thomas Jef ferson, the President of th. United States. The punch was "dizzy" and there were fifes and drums and a couple of fiddles to play for the dancing. It was getting late when a watcher in one of the blockhouses gave a warning shout that Indians were approaching: but they turned out to be friendly Indians who came bearing gifts to the feast. They watched the white folks dance, and when the whites were exhausted, the redskins took the floor and be gan a wild, whooping dance of their own which climaxed Chicago's unique Christmas celebration is ifc>4. SHIRT-SLEEVED SANTA . . . It’s not • common subject for disciu- sion, but Santa CUus sometimes does take off his coat and just lonnge around In his beard and shirtsleeves. However, this Is not standard procedure, and it’s mighty few Santas you see sitting on a park bench in New York. ’'Jell the fauth about- cuitoJ Among the myriad problems which beset parents at Christmas time are the many questions from the small-fry about Santa Claus. And the business of telling Junior or his little sister the truth about the Jolly old gentleman in the red suit is really a major task. However, the situation is bound to arise, and when it does, it does something to your heart strings— so you draw the little ones close and cast about tor the best ex planation. Oddly enough, the true story Is best—and the easiest to tell. So why not Just tell the little ones this?: St. Nicholas (or Nicolas) is Santa Claus' real name. He lived in Asia Minor and was the beloved bishop of the Greek church of Myra in Lycia. He is the patron saint of the young, and In some European coun tries a i^rson dressed as a bishop still assembles the children and distributes gifts of nuts, sweetmeats and other nice things to the good boys and girls. Children loved St. Nicholas and trudged along beside him as he trudged the dusty roads of the Lycia countryside, bringing fruit and candy to the sick and needy One of many stories told of his goodness concerns a poor and honest man and his three good and beautiful daughters. The father was unhappy for poverty prevented his giving the customary dowries to his daughters, and for this reason they could never have suitable husbands. One night a bag of coins was tossed in at the man's window. The next night the act was repeated. But on the third night the father watched, and the anonymous giver was detected. The jolly bishop stood with the third bag of coins in his hands. The father was very proud and would not accept the money. The good bishop begged the poor men to accept the gifts and use them for his daughters’ dowries, requesting that his name never be revealed. At last, the father accepted the money for his daughters, but he could not keep the name of the generous bishop secret — so the legend of the goodness of St. Nicho las was further spread and strengthened. ettmenieipeieqpe— i | i i L VERY time we hear a Christmas carol, we're going to think of you. It's folks like you, our customers, who have been so considerate in the years post that make our Holiday complete. So when that day rolls around ogoin, we'U think of you, and wish you o very Merry Christmas! W. E. TURNER JEWELERS C.D C0IEMAN COMPANY 1302 eemiMiMMUi COlllGI STMIT « TEUPHOUt AOO inonimmnrmr-T— 1 1 «»»>*»»»»»»»»»»»■**« ■ieitftftY.SOI